(The Center Square) – The Spokane City Council interviewed four candidates on Thursday to fill former Councilmember Lili Navarrete’s vacancy after her resignation took effect on June 30.
The council will host a public hearing on Monday so the community can weigh in before voting on who to represent District 2 with Councilmember Paul Dillon by July 28. The interim appointee will only serve four months, occupying a seat on a dias with four progressives and two conservatives.
Navarrete and Dillon, while both aligning with the majority, offer votes at times that align with the conservative minority. The political leanings of whoever fills that vacancy likely won’t impact the progressives’ control, but they will help address another budget hole before the end of the year.
“The issues, and really the budget,” Council President Betsy Wilkerson said before pausing for a brief moment. “It will be a challenging year, and as you know, nobody will leave happy.”
Those interviewed include Ryan Oelrich, Kris Neely, Shelby Lambdin and Kristina Sabestinas.
Oelrich, executive director of Priority Spokane, who previously served in another interim role on the council in 2023, is a registered Democrat. He emphasized a wish to work across the aisle on affordable housing, advocating for diverse neighbors and creating a deeper sense of identity.
Facing a $3.8 million deficit, Oelrich voiced support for a budget that avoids spending sprees, rebuilds reserves and reflects community priorities with accountability for every dollar spent.
Neely, an author who serves on several local boards and committees, was a delegate from the 5th Congressional District of Washington at the Democratic National Convention last August.
“I am very active in my party at the local, state and national levels, but party values supply a perspective. They don’t decide my vote,” Neely said. “I disagree with my party upon any number of things, but it’s an important input, so my approach is going to be focused on the facts.”
He said his budget focus will be on homelessness, having lived experience as a child. Neely sat on a panel that scored contract applications for two years and cited his continued interest. He wants to study the data and see what areas are improving based on where the money is going.
Shelby Lambdin, health equity director at CHAS Health, said her priorities include expanding language access for minorities, addressing public health issues and making people feel safe.
She wants to work with stakeholders to address homelessness and expand the city’s mental health response. Lambdin cited a need for collaboration to move from conversations to action.
“The reality is there’s more work to be done with potentially less funding to do that,” she said.
Sabestinas, executive director of the Cathy McMorris Rodgers Leadership Institute, who also served as the former congresswoman’s district director, has no interest in toeing the party line.
She arguably has the most experience with the Republican party, setting herself apart from the other candidates, but stated the council office is a nonpartisan role. While there’s an apparent divide between the progressives and conservatives, Sabestinas cited a need for collaboration.
Sabestinas said she wants to advance regional responses to some of Spokane’s most critical issues as discussion around that collaboration has stalled. Part of that includes overcoming the perception versus reality around public safety, as some residents feel the city isn’t doing enough.
“The perception I have when I drive downtown is I don’t feel safe,” she said. “It would be a priority of mind to help communicate out to our community and district what’s being worked on.”
The council convened for an executive session after the interviews and will host a public hearing on July 14 before voting on who to appoint by July 28.
